1Now I am resolved within myself not to come to you again in sorrow. 2For if I make you sorrowful, who is it that makes me glad, if it is not the one who has been made sorrowful by me? 3And I wrote this same thing to you, lest when I come, I might have sorrow from those in whom I ought to rejoice; for I have confidence in all of you, that my joy is the joy of you all. 4For out of much distress and anguish of heart I wrote to you with many tears-- not that you might be sorrowful, but that you might know the overflowing love which I have for you.

5But if anyone has caused sorrow, he has not grieved me, but you all, at least in part (in order that I may not overcharge him). 6To such a one this punishment, which was inflicted by the majority of you, is sufficient; 7So that on the contrary, you should rather forgive and encourage him, lest such a one be swallowed up with overwhelming sorrow. 8For this reason, I exhort you to confirm your love toward him. 9Now for this cause I wrote to you, that I might know by testing you whether you are obedient in everything. 10But to whom you forgive anything, I also forgive; and if I also have forgiven anything, to whomever I have forgiven it, for your sakes I forgave it in the person of Christ; 11So that we may not be outwitted by Satan, for we are not ignorant of his schemes.

12Now when I came to Troas to preach the gospel of Christ, and a door was opened to me by the Lord, 13I had no rest in my spirit because I was not able to find Titus, my brother; then I left them and went into Macedonia.

14But thanks be to God, Who always leads us triumphant in Christ, and manifests the fragrance of His knowledge through us in every place. 15For we are Christ's sweet perfume to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing; 16To those who are perishing, we are a stench of death unto death; but to those who are being saved, we are a fragrance of life unto life. And who is qualified for such things? 17For we are not like the many, who for their own profit are corrupting the Word of God; but we speak with sincerity, as from God, and before God, and in Christ.